Automatic self-closing funnel



J. MATHIS & H. J. BRENNAN.

AUTOMATIC SELF CLOSING FUNNEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20,1909.

Patented June 22, 1909.

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JOHN MATHIS AND HENRY J. BRENNAN, OF GLASSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC SELF-CLOSIN G FUNNEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 22, 1909.

Application filed February 20, 1909. Serial No. 479,135.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN MATIIIs and HENRY J. BRENNAN, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Glassport, in

the county of Allegheny and State 01 Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usei'ul Improvements in Automatic Self-Closing Funnels, oi which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to an automatic self-closing funnel, particularly designed for saloon keepers, spirit rectifiers, bottling houses, fruit preservers, and as a culinary device.

The invention has for its primary object to provide a funnel having a self-closing valve adapted to close the outlet of the .l'unnel, when the funnel is removed from a bottle or similar receptacle.

A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive funnel with a valve that will be automatically manipulated but which can be manually manipulated after the funnel has been removed from the bottle or similar receptacle, as would be necessary to drain the funnel of an excess amount of liquid.

WVith the above and other objects in view which will more readily appear as the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts to be presently described and then claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a funnel constructed in accordanee with our invention, Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view 01' the same, taken on the line XX of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of a portion of the funnel, showing a modified form of valve, and Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of the tube or spout ol' the funnel.

The reference numeral 1 designates the semi-spherical metallic bowl or receptacle, having a bead 2 at its upper edge, while the bottom of said receptacle is provided with a centrally disposed outlet-opening 3.

4 designates an angularly disposed metallic sleeve, said sleeve being soldered or otherwise secured to the bottom 01' the receptacle 1 to-communicate with the outlet-opening 3.

5 designates a cylindrical spout or tube se cured to the bottom of the receptacle 1 and surrounding the sleeve 41, leaving an annular space 4, said spout or tube being made 01' metal, and contiguous to the lower end thereol', provided with a side opening 6.

7 design ates a handle secured to the receptacle 1 adjacent to the upper edge thereof, said handle having thumb and finger pieces 8 and vertical alining openings 9, said openings alining with another vertical opening 10 formed in the bead 2 of the receptacle 1.

11 designates a yoke having vertical parallel arms 1.2 and 13, the arm 13 being of a greater length than the arm 12 and adapted to extend under the receptacle 1, where the end of adapted to surround the upper end of the tube or spout 5. The collar 141 is provided with depending equally spaced lugs 15, the object of which will presently appear. The arm 13 extends through the openings 9 an d 10, while the arm 12 extends downwardly in the bowl 1 into close proximity to the outletopening 3 of the said bowl.

16 designates a valve mounted upon the lower end of the arm 12, said valve being made of rubber or a similar material and shaped to close the opening 3.

17 designates an annular flange secured in the bottom of the receptacle 1 around the opening 3, said flange supporting a cage 18 oi wire gauze, and the top of said cage .is provided with a metallic disk 19 having a central opening 20 for the arm 12 of the yoke 11.

The weight of the receptacle 1 is su'llicient to maintain the bottom of said receptacle in engagement with the collar 14 when the funnel is placed in a bottle or similar receptacle 21, and with the receptacle resting upon the collar 14, the valve 16 will be maintained in drawings, allowing the contents of the receptacle 1 to enter the bottle 21.

In Fig. 3 of the drawings, we have shown a slight modification of our invention, wherein the lower end of the arm 12 is provided with a movable spherical valve 16, adapted to seat in the upper end of the sleeve 4, which is flared, as at 3 to receive the valve 16"; the cage or screen 18, which is employed to prevent fine particles of cork and other matter from entering the bottle 21, being dispensed with in this instance.

WVhen the funnel is placed in engagement with the bottle 21, the valve 16 is retained tacle 1 to flow into the tube or spout 5, the

contents striking the innermost side of the said arm is provided with a metallic collar 14 an open position as shown in Fig. 1 of the open, permitting the contents of the receptube or spout 5, at about the point we have designated 5 Since the collar 14 is held above the upper end of the bottle, air can readily escape from the bottle as the same is filled. The funnel can be successfully used in connection with large mouthed receptacles such as ars, provided sufiicient means are employed for supporting the funnel and retaining the valve in an open position, but this can be easily accomplished by the operator of the funnel holding the valve open through the medium of the yoke 11.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new, is

1. A tunnel of the type described, comprising a semi spherical receptacle, the bottom of said receptacle having a central opening formed therein, a depending angularly disposed sleeve carried by the bottom of said receptacle and surrounding said opening, a tube carried by said receptacle and surrounding said sleeve, said tube adjacent to the lower end thereol having an opening formed therein, a handle carried by said receptacle,

I a yoke movably arranged in said handle, and

having the ends thereof extending in proximity to the opening of said receptacle, a valve carried by the end of said yoke within said receptacle and adapted to close the opening thereof, a collar carried by the opposite end of said yoke, equally spaced depending lugs carried by said collar for supporting said funnel upon a receptacle, and a screen arranged within said receptacle and inclosing said valve, substantially as described.

2. In a funnel, a bowl having a centrally disposed outlet-opening in the bottom thereof and provided at the upper edge with a bead, a handle secured to said bowl, a yoke bent to form two vertically extending arms, one of which passesthrough said handle and bead and has vertical movements therein and the other of which extends centrally of the bowl, a valve carried by the lower end of the last mentioned arm for controlling the outlet of the bowl, a sleeve secured to the bottom of the bowl and surrounding the outlet, a spout secured to the bottom of the bowl and surrounding said sleeve, and a collar surrounding said spout and to which the end of the first mentioned arm of said yoke is connected, substantially as described.

3. In a funnel, a bowl provided with a centrally disposed outlet-opening in the bottom thereof, a handle secured to said bowl, a yoke bent to form two parallel vertically extending arms, one of which extends through said handle and has vertical movement therein, and the other of which extends vertically in the bowl in alinement with the outletopening, a valve secured to said latter arm for controlling the outlet-opening, a spout secured to the bottom of the bowl with its upper end surrounding the outlet-opening, a collar loosely surrounding the spout and having the lower end of the first mentioned arm secured thereto, and lugs on the lower face of said collar, substantially as described.

at. A funnel comprising a bowl provided. with a centrally disposed outlet-opening in the bottom thereof, a handle secured to said bowl, a yoke bent to form two vertical parallel arms, one of which extends through the handle and has vertical movement therein, the other of said arms extending vertically within the bowl in alinement with said outlet-opening, a valve carried by the last mentioned arm for closing the outlet-opening, an annular flange carried by the bowl and surrounding the outlet opening, a screen cage supported by said flange, a spout connected to the bottom of the bowl with its upper end surrounding the outlet opening, and a collar loosely surrounding the upper end of the spout and having the lower end of the first mentioned arm of said yoke connected thereto.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN MATHIS. HENRY J. BRENNAN. Witnesses MAX H. SROLOVITZ, A. J. TRIGG. 

